{"id":6516,"date":"2010-06-04T14:55:23","date_gmt":"2010-06-04T18:55:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/living-well\/2010\/06\/your-thyroid-your-health.html"},"modified":"2017-11-30T10:24:46","modified_gmt":"2017-11-30T15:24:46","slug":"your-thyroid-your-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/living-well\/2010\/06\/your-thyroid-your-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Your thyroid, your health"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/women\/guide\/fatigued-or-full-throttle-is-your-thyroid-to-blame\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"blank\">webmd<\/a>, approximately 25 million Americans have low thyroid function with about half being undiagnosed. The most common cause of hypothyroidism, low thyroid function, is related to an autoimmune disorder called hashimoto&#8217;s thyroiditis. In this disorder, the body&#8217;s immune system views the thyroid as a &#8220;foreign invader&#8221; and &#8220;attacks&#8221; the thyroid gland. Whatever the cause, the result is less available thyroid hormone in circulation.<br \/>\nDue to the fact that thyroid hormones play a role in energy production, heart health, hormonal balance, mood balance, brain function, and skin health, hypothyroidism can cause an array of symptoms, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>mood imbalances and depression<\/li>\n<li>constipation and digestive issues<\/li>\n<li>fatigue<\/li>\n<li>changes in weight<\/li>\n<li>low libido<\/li>\n<li>dry, flaky skin<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;brain fog&#8221; or memory problems<\/li>\n<li>hormonal issues, such as hot flashes<\/li>\n<li>cold extremities<\/li>\n<li>high cholesterol (cholesterol is the precursor for hormone production)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The most common treatment for hypothyroid is a drug which provides the inactive form of thyroid hormone, T4. Examples of this drug include synthroid or levoxyl. In order to convert this T4 to it&#8217;s active component, T3, the body must have enough vital nutrients and minerals. Therefore, these drugs provide the body with its precursor thyroid hormone; but will not necessarily eliminate the symptoms of hypothyroid if the body isn&#8217;t producing its active hormone. (Lab values can be &#8220;normal&#8221; if only measuring one marker, TSH, because, hormone production is related to a feedback system. They body uses measurement of T4 to turn down the pituitary&#8217;s signal for thyroid hormone production (TSH)). <\/p>\n<p>For this reason, someone being treated for low thyroid function can get very frustrated if they have normal lab markers yet still experience the symptoms of hypothyroidism. In 2003, The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologist (AACE) Thyroid Task Force realized this when they revised current ranges of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone from the pituitary) from 0.5-5.0 mIU\/dl to 0.3-3.0mIU\/dl. According to AACE, patients with hypothyroid may have normal TSH levels if there condition is chronic. Therefore, any level above a 2.0 mIu\/dl can be a flag for further thyroid evaluation.<\/p>\n<p>As an integrative practitioner, if a client is experiencing the above symptoms, yet has &#8220;normal&#8221; lab values, it&#8217;s time for me to put on my detective hat. Usually, this means requesting additional blood work. This additional testing would aid me to look for the cause of the issue, including: <\/p>\n<p> * autoimmunity<br \/> * hormonal imbalances and blood sugar handling problems (insulin and hormones affects the binding of thyroid hormone to a protein, affecting availability)<br \/> * liver function (conversion of T4 to T3 occurs in the liver) and digestive health (also helps with thyroid utilization)<br \/> * heavy metal toxicity (this will affect nutrient use)<br \/> * stress (stress hormones decrease active thyroid conversion)<br \/> * nutrient availability<\/p>\n<p>(Some chronic cases could be aided with additional functional medicine tests, integrative tests measuring health status and cellular functional.<\/p>\n<p>As you can see, low thyroid has many causes; therefore, in my practice not everyone is treated the same with the same label. For example, hypothyroidism related to an autoimmune condition would be addressed quite differently than one due to a nutrient deficiency or liver issue. Furthermore, my job would also be in providing overall support for the body as it heals to boost feelings of overall vitality and mood. For more information on thyroid and mood imbalance, see my <a href=\"https:\/\/dr-lobisco.com\/mood-imbalances-part-iii-the-thyroid-depression-connection\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"blank\">website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Reference:<br \/>AACE. Thyroid Awareness Month 2003: An explanation on the changing of TSH Levels. http:\/\/www.aace.com\/public\/awareness\/tam\/2003\/explanation.php. Updated September 2005. Accessed January 4, 2010.<br \/>Above links<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to webmd, approximately 25 million Americans have low thyroid function with about half being undiagnosed. The most common cause of hypothyroidism, low thyroid function, is related to an autoimmune disorder called hashimoto&#8217;s thyroiditis. In this disorder, the body&#8217;s immune&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":109,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[425,611,613,641,865,869,873,1177],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\r\n<title>Your thyroid, your health - Living Well In Saratoga Springs NY: Saratoga&#039;s Holistic Health Forum Blog<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/living-well\/2010\/06\/your-thyroid-your-health\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Your thyroid, your health - Living Well In Saratoga Springs NY: Saratoga&#039;s Holistic Health Forum Blog\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"According to webmd, approximately 25 million Americans have low thyroid function with about half being undiagnosed. The most common cause of hypothyroidism, low thyroid function, is related to an autoimmune disorder called hashimoto&#039;s thyroiditis. 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She became interested in holistic medicine when she was able to heal two herniated discs through nutrition, yoga, supplementation, and chiropractic. She has mentored with holistic practices throughout New York, Vermont, and Connecticut. In addition to her Naturopathic and Functional Medical training, Dr. LoBisco has extensive training in a variety of healing modalities, including therapeutic essential oils, nutraceuticals, herbs, whole food supplements, nutritional medicine, and mind-body therapies. She is a graduate of the accredited, four year post-graduate program in Naturopathic Medicine at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. This program includes clinical rotations and a demanding scientific curriculum in integrating conventional and natural medicine. Dr. LoBisco holds her license from the state of Vermont. Dr. LoBisco has completed her postdoctoral training as a certified functional medicine practitioner. She is also certified in Applied Kinesiology and holds a BA in psychology from SUNY Geneseo. She has contributed as an item writer for the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE) and has several articles that have been published in the Naturopathic Doctor News and Review Digest (NDNR) and the Townsend Letter, both physician- based journals. Dr. LoBisco is also a hired speaker on integrative medical topics for medical professionals. Dr. LoBisco currently incorporates her training in holistic medical practices and conventional medicine through writing, researching, private practice, and through her independent contracting work for companies regarding supplements, nutraceuticals, essential oils, and medical foods. She has a small, private wellness consultation practice through telephone and Skype. Dr. LoBisco also enjoys continuing to educate and empower her readers through her blogs and social media. 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She is also certified in Applied Kinesiology and holds a BA in psychology from SUNY Geneseo. She has contributed as an item writer for the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE) and has several articles that have been published in the Naturopathic Doctor News and Review Digest (NDNR) and the Townsend Letter, both physician- based journals. Dr. LoBisco is also a hired speaker on integrative medical topics for medical professionals. Dr. LoBisco currently incorporates her training in holistic medical practices and conventional medicine through writing, researching, private practice, and through her independent contracting work for companies regarding supplements, nutraceuticals, essential oils, and medical foods. She has a small, private wellness consultation practice through telephone and Skype. Dr. LoBisco also enjoys continuing to educate and empower her readers through her blogs and social media. 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